Pope pays surprise visit to blind centre

(ANSA) - Rome, March 31 - Pope Francis on Friday took a trip outside the Vatican to pay a surprise visit to Rome's Sant'Alessio-Margherita di Savoia centre for the blind and visually impaired, the Holy See press office said. The trip is part of the pope's effort to continue the so-called Friday of Mercy private visits he conducted during the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy last year.